Tuneling apparatus.



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wie l troded by n@ down JLG@ L suppon. f es between d U) 1110 U (l lef) cones l which are spokes 22 cylinders circle each booke openii'ig to receiy es 'he mate aoout one quarter oir s cut may to provide an 1 ie a scooped up by the shovel extending 'from one side ot yoi'tion ot the bucket. rEhe u fieigl niet@ il? and a :i carried the out out J shovel comprises Yl ,1 D movaole angie bleue o piece 39 having lug, tend behind the p i )y bracket s el() erf rods le projecthead i? l to indieafe also extends inln'ou threaded to c i swiveleil in eeljusts s of the shovel l conseoif/ amoulit of .mater i eurriei and discharged into the bu .iheouter end of 'the shoe/el is carried into close proximity with the drum periphery so that at each rotation it lwecives u part et' the anatoial :it the bottoni ot the drum and carries it up and discharges ii, into the transfer bucket which guides the articles into the cylinder Q- lhroiigh `which it passes to the next druieA in this manne-r tl ,e material is carried. t all of the drums and is finally dial i i i through outlet olj the drying drum into a chute or waitingv cow tainers.

The general iiicl'iiatioii ol the appiiratus provides means tor izioviiigg` the iiiatci'ial through the drums and their connect ing cylinders and the adjustiiufiii'y of the inclina( on affords means iviiereby llie toed can be if' ried to suit the charac-le' ot the articles or the process which they are undergoing. The adjustment ot the bucket blades not only determines the arca iii con t with the material7 but al 'o varirs the point iii the travel of the n'iaterial :it which these shovels become effective as erich ofliese shovels .is justalole the leiigih of tin'ic that the niate'i l remains in any d uio can be independently varied to suitably prolong or shorten the period et action at a given drum. This makes eecli unit of the apparatus independe'iilly adjustable to inee the 'varying conditi. ns of diereut articles and processes. All tue adjustments of the machine are easily peforin'ed WithoutJ removal et parts or in any Wise reconstructing the machine. The entire progression mechanism is in the form ort o singl e integral member which does not depend upon the ii'elatiye movement of any its operation. The apparatus is :uid dur-able in form Y evident that the various parts of the A.ia'v he formed of suitable mae orum helios l5 and 17 are neferably et' eluinii'ium, While their peripheral bends are formed preferably ot' soine non-absorbent material. it is apparent that other means than those shown may be used to effect the desired adjustments of the parts.

The apparatus herein described iS especially useful in the economical manufacture of cart-ridge shells, which as is Awell known, are made from sheet metal by a series of clipping or drawing operations. ln the case of brass shells, such as for military rifle cartridges, between each drawing or pressing operation the shell must be annealed, and in the niaiiufaoture of a. Single shell there niy be six or eight annealing operations. lila :i1 time a shell is annealed, it has lo be pickled to remove the scale, then washed to remove the acid or pickling fluid, the passed into a soap or othei` weak alkali solution to neutralize any residue acid, then again washed to remove the soap, and finally dried before the next drawing or punching ope` ition. The present invention is es )ccially adapted for economically handling largo quantities ot' niiiterial of this .character, it being seen that the entire handling of the material is automatic and it is insured duit-absolutely clean pieces will be delivered by this machine for the subsequent punching', pressing,'dieing, or other operation.

'llie invention is not confined to the Specific embodiment shown and described, but is iiitei'iilcd to cover such modifications thereo't as fall wilhiu the scope of the appended claims.

llaviiig thus described iiiy invention, I de claro that what i elaiiii as new and desire adapted to tumble the iiiatei'ial in each tank and carry it through the tanks in succession, or' means for supportingT said member 1n tilted position to incline the axes of said drums so that the `material will be fed therethrough by gravity, and means for adjusting said supporting means to vary the rate of progress ofthe material and the tumbling efec't irrespective of the speed 0f rotation of the drums.

2. In tumbling apparatus for treating material by passin it through a series of tanks, the combination with a unitary rotary member comprising a plurality of connected drums adapted to tumble. the material in each tank, of transfer means between the drums and rotating therewith for moving the material from one drum to the next so that the material is carried through the tanks in succession, means for supporting said'member in tilted position t0 incline the axes of said drums s0 that the material will `be fed therethrough by gravity, means for adjusting said supporting means to Vary the rate of progress of the material and the tumbling effect irrespective 'of the speed of rotation of the drums, and means for adjustingl said transfer means between certain of said drums to independently control the length of time the material remains in the corresponding drum.

3. In Vapparatus for carrying material through a. tank, the combination with a rotary drum mounted to support the material in said tank, of means operated by the rotation ot' said drinn for lifting material out of the tank comprising an axial conical chamber supported by one head of said drum and adapted to discharge material therefrom, and a scoop blade leading directly into said chamber and rotating with said drum to lift material from said drum into said chamber.

le In apparatus for transferring material through a series of tanks, the combination with a rotary member comprising a series of open ended drums adapted to dip into said tanks and permeable by the liquid therein, of axial cylindrical passages connecting the open ends of said drums and rotating therewith, and means for lifting the material out ot' cach drum and discharging it into the next connecting passage comprising an axial conical chamber opening into the receiving cnd ol the corresponding passage and a Scoop blade for lifting the material .into said chamber.

5. The combination with a plurality of tanks, of a unitary rotary member for transferring material through said tanks in succession comprising a rotatable shaft' member, a plurality ot' open ended drum containers spaced along said shaft and rigid therewith, connecting cylinders between successive drums, compartments in said drums opening into said cylinders and coaxial therewith, and scoop blades connected to said compartments for lifting material thereinto by the rotation of said unitary member.

6. The combination with a plurality of tanks, of a unitary rotary member for transferring articles through said tanks in succession comprising a shaft, a plurality ofmaterial by passing it through a plurality.

of tanks, the combination with a unitary rotary series of independent chambers comprising a plurality of open headed tumbler drums comprising permeable material adapted to dip into theI tanks and support the material to be treated therein, cylinders connecting the openings in the heads of said drums and' bridging the ends of said tanks, and means for transferring material from one drum into thc next cylinder rotating with said drum and comprising means controlling the transfer of material from Said drum to said cylinder so that the length of time the material remains in said drum may be varied.

8. In tumbling apparatus for treatin material by passing it through a 4series o tanks, the combination with a rotary member comprising a central shaft, a series of open drum heads fastened to said shaft, pe-

'ripheral sheets of permeable material on said heads forming a series of drums dipping intosaid tanks, and an intermediate transfer cylinder between adjacent drum heads and of less diameter than said drums, of means for rotatably supporting said member in tilted position to incline the axes of said drums and cylinder comprising inclinedside beams and cross pieces between said beams having a cradle bearing, and a, bearing track supported by one of said drum heads land rotating on said bearing.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature.

y LOUIS POTTHOFF. 

